Know the (New) Rules for 2014

As they do every year, NFL owners and the NFL Competition Committee agreed on a number of rules changes that will take effect beginning in the preseason. With the Vikings set to kick off their preseason schedule tonight, here are just a few of the rules changes you may notice while watching or listening to the game.

Any personal foul penalty is now reviewableSome day the NFL may get to the point where all plays are reviewable. That day is not now, but we took one step closer to that end this offseason when it was decided that any personal foul penalty is subject to the review process.

No overtime period in any preseason gameThe NFL recently went away from its sudden format in overtime to a hybrid format of sorts that gives Team B possession if Team A does not score a touchdown on its first possession. If you don’t yet understand the NFL’s new overtime format, you have a few more weeks to learn it because there will be no overtime in any preseason games.

Goal post uprights extend 35 feet above the crossbarTo further enhance the officials’ ability to judge a field goal that crosses over the top of the goal posts, the NFL has decided to extend the goal posts five additional feet, from its previous height of 30 feet to 35 feet now. For clarity purposes, the cross bar remains 10 feet off the ground, but the uprights have been lengthened five feet.

PATs at the 15 yard line, making for approximately a 32-yard attempt, as a preseason experimentIn perhaps the most intriguing move the NFL made this offseason, point after touchdown tries will now be an approximately 35-yard proposition rather than the traditional 19-yard try. The NFL will do this on a probationary/experimental basis this preseason and will reassess whether it wants to make this a permanent change for upcoming seasons.

During the review process, the referee will consult with the Officiating department at the League office Command CenterWhen the referee goes “under the hood” to review a play, he will now communicate with a command center in New York City, which will help the official review the play and discern the rules.